Ultimately, in nearly all school districts, the parent has the final say over the child's education. If you are determined to push your son forward before the school believes he is ready, I believe you can do that. Your Rights as a Parent If you are uncomfortable with your school’s decision to hold back your child, do you have the right to appeal that decision? Possibly—guidelines vary widely from state to state and even district to district. Many districts have an appeal process in place. Can only speak to my own first hand experience since I was born late in the yr (Halloween) and my parents didn’t hold me back to be with kids closer to my age. From the parents who had their child held back - for development reasons, academic struggles or otherwise - the consensus is the pros outweighed any cons. Here are the voices of experience. Customer: Do parents have the right to hold a child back a grade if we feel it is in his best interest? I have a 3rd grader in Texas. Unless there is a compounding reason in addition to losing some ground academically due to the pandemic and remote schooling, I recommend parents not hold their children back. House Bill 1159 allows parents or guardians to request that their K-5 public school student "be retained for the 2021-2022 school year" in their current grade level, "provided that such request is While you can hold your child back in school at any age, kindergarten and first grade are the best times to repeat a year, according to FamilyEducation. In fact, these are the ages when the majority of parents and schools decide to retain. He is currently in full-day kindergarten at the same place he started pre-school and we are debating on whether to hold him back for another year of kindergarten or send him to first grade. He would not stay at his current school, he would move to the elementary school where they hold half-day kindergarten. Can a parent choose to hold their child back if the school wants to advance them. The kid would be going into the 7th Can I hold my child back to repeat the 9th grade? Texas. I am currently waiting for the Superintendant to call me back. Parents can initiate a request to have their child repeat a grade, and their input is an important factor. However, the final authority in a dispute over retention rests with the school district, and a parent cannot unilaterally make the decision against school policy. Can parents fight a school's decision to hold back/retain a child? Tips for parents from an education lawyer. The Texas State Legislature recently passed a bill that would allow parents and guardians to elect to have their children or children retake a class or even repeat a grade. Do parents have any right to retain their children for lack of academic progress when the school continues to promote the child to the next grade, especially at the middle grade level? Holding a kid back is a parental decision, we can recommend it but if the parent says no then it won’t happen. They’re more comfortable with a student being perpetually behind academically, than being older than their peers in class. As parents, we play an important role in keeping our children on track academically. And recently, the Texas legislature gave parents an even stronger voice in their child’s early education. A law passed last year allows families to decide to hold back their children in pre-K through third grade. Surprisingly, about one in 10 students across the country repeat at least one grade. Similarly Whether a child is progressed to the next grade or not is the sole perogative of the student's school district presuming the student has passed all of the subjects included in the 4th grade regular education curriculum. First, let's fix your use of language. I am sure that the school does not "want" to hold your child back. I'm sure they would all prefer that you child had performed better during the year, was ready to move ahead, and they didn't have to deal with you about this. The decision to hold a child back in kindergarten can greatly influence their self-esteem. This choice may encourage a sense of security and readiness, but it can also lead to feelings of inadequacy and social isolation. Yes, parents can decide to hold their child back a grade, but it’s crucial to collaborate with teachers and school staff to ensure this decision supports the child’s academic and social development.
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